


A Comedy Of Errors

by Frin



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-07-30 23:46:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20105617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frin/pseuds/Frin
Summary: Rose Tyler needs help; the love of her life is critically ill and there's only one person whocanhelp...





	1. Chapter 1

She sighed as she sat down at her desk. Monday morning had come around fast again, not that the weekend had had much going on.

Same old same old, everything always the same. Even temping had gone stale, it seemed there was no variety in her mundane, tawdry life and even with all the self help books in the world she couldn't seem to grasp the concept of being in control of her own destiny.

Another sigh escaped her as her fingers ran deftly over the keyboards, picking up easily where she had left off on Friday evening. She didn't even take in what she was typing any more. 

She dreamt about finding the perfect job, being able to afford her own place in town. That'd soon shut her Mum up. And then an image of her Grandfather's sad eyes danced across her mind and the familiar pangs of guilt gripped at her insides.

Her intercom buzzed, making her jump. She pressed the button and smiled into the speaker.

“Mr Bennett, how can I be of service this fine Monday morning?” she said brightly.

“Ms Noble, could you step into my office for a moment, please?” She stood up, smoothing down her tight pencil skirt and fluffing her bright auburn hair. She had been working her charms on this one for weeks, perhaps he had finally noticed?

She knocked lightly and went in. There was a very beautiful blonde sitting in front of him and her heart sank. How could she compete with that?

“Ms Noble, I'd like to introduce you to Ms Rose Tyler, she needs a word, if you'll excuse me...”

“But, Mr Bennett...” Donna stammered as Ms Tyler stood up, a serious and wary expression adorning her famous face.

“Thanks Lance...” Ms Tyler said softly as her amber headlights focused on poor stammering Donna. What had she down wrong? She seemed to recall that Rose Tyler (famous heiress) worked for Torchwood, which somewhere along the way she had read was the mother company of HC Clements... was she in trouble? She hadn't taken much notice of what she had typed.

“Donna, isn't it?” Ms Tyler spoke softly, making Donna jump again.

“Yeah... um, Donna Noble... what have I done?”

“Done? What makes you think I'm here because of something you did?” Anger spiked at Donna unreasonably. Maybe she might have done something brilliant, not necessarily anything wrong?

“What did you want me for then, Ms Tyler?” she answered gruffly.

“Please, call me Rose, take a seat...” Donna paused and then gingerly sat in the seat next to Rose Tyler. “I came to you on a personal matter, as it happens, I... we need your help...”

“Help? We? Who's we?”

“Listen, you know who I work for? You know what we do, right?”

“Yeah... aliens, but I mean, I've still not ever seen one...”

“You never saw the Cyber War?”

“I had flu, I was dosed up and out for the count. Course the girls and my family filled me in, but it all sounded like one gigantic wind up!”

“I can assure you that aliens are real, they walk amongst us every day.”

“Right... and what would that have to do with me?”

“I have a... friend... he's the most amazing man...”

“I'm not into any funny stuff... what man?”

“He's called the Doctor and he's the reason I'm here.”

“You're talking in riddles.”

“It's so hard to explain, Donna, but it's imperative that you help or he will die. Would you come with me? I'll try to explain on the way?”

“I can't just take off from work, Ms Tyler, we're not all made of money!”

“You'll be suitably reimbursed and rewarded for your... time, Donna,”

“But what do you want of me? I'm nothing, nobody special, how could I possibly help someone like you, or your doctor?”

“Donna Noble, I can assure you you are the most important human in this universe right now and I will explain it as best I can but please can you trust me do that on the way? Time is running out...”

Donna stared at Rose for a long while considering this beautiful and rather sad woman and then she stood up abruptly. “Fine, so long as I'm reimbursed and you're not firing me up to the moon or anything?”

“We won't be firing you anywhere, I promise.”

The car was long and black and Donna was a little excited at the prospect of being carted around in it.

“I don't usually use the limo, but Torchwood insisted and I didn't have the energy to fight them.” explained Rose to a Donna who didn't understand what she was saying and who was revelling in the decadent luxury that Rose always tried to avoid.

“So for some daft reason you think I can help you?” Donna asked as they pulled off.

“Yeah, it's so hard to explain but I really have no choice, you're our only hope.”

“Get on with it then, does it have something to with aliens?”

“Only human ones... have you ever heard of parallel worlds?”

“Only on telly, they don't exist... do they?”

“They do... I'm from one.”

“You're kidding me?”

“Nope, been here a few years now... I used to travel with an alien in my universe. Wonderful man.”

“I still don't see what...”

“He knew you... you in the other dimension, travelled with you for a while...”

“Me in the other... this was weird enough, but it just got ten times weirder... so what do you want with this me, the me that I am who never met your friend?”

“I'm taking you to him now, well sort of him...”

“Sort of? I'm not feeling very comfortable with all this, I'm not sure I want to meet an alien!”

“This man isn't, he's human, well as near as... it's such a complicated story, Donna, I don't know if you'll believe it. Besides that's a very narrow vision you have about aliens, I happen to know that at least ten percent of HC Clements payroll are alien!”

“Really? You're not kidding me?”

“No, I'm not, we've been sharing this planet for many years, who are we to even call it ours? It's where we live, but so do many other species, don't they?”

“I suppose... but it still doesn't explain why you would want me to help!”

“You knew my Doctor very well...”

“So you said, but it wasn't me, was it? Um... how well exactly?”

“Not like that...”

“Thank God! That would have been well awkward!”

“You were like brother and sister, in actual fact that's very accurate... we're here...”

“Here? You haven't even told me what you need me for and we're here?”

“This is the Torchwood Institute, back entrance. We're heading for the Infirmary. That's where the Doctor is.”

“Well, one would hope that there would be a doctor there, it's an infirmary for... aliens?”

“For all, and the Doctor is the name of the man I have been telling you about.”

“But you haven't really told me anything!”

“I told you that there are parallel universes and that a parallel version of you travelled with another version of the Doctor who was an alien. The Doctor I'm taking you to isn't a parallel version of him, no, he's a human version of that man and you, Donna Noble, you were an integral part of his creation.”

“Not me! Another me... this is madness, what do you want from me?”

“He's dying, Donna and we can't figure out how to help him, we have nothing to help with his genetic code, we have this machine, helps to decipher the injured or sick aliens that come through here. On the whole it can match a likeness to something, there was one species that we managed to vaccinate from cabbage cells... that's another story... the machine couldn't help the Doctor, it couldn't find a match in the database.”

“Cos he's not from this universe?”

“Yes, well done, I knew he must have seen something good in you... So, when he was created in the other universe, Donna, you, the other you; contributed biologically to it...”

“I would never do any such thing! That's disgusting!”

“It was just a transference of cells, that's all and you had no idea what it would do, you were frightened and about to die and you reached out for the one man you knew who could possibly save you. And he did, you saved each other. You were brilliant.”

“You talk as if I died. Look Ms Tyler... Rose... why are you telling me this, what can you possibly need from me that would help... oh... you don't need me at all...”

“We do, Donna. Here we are.” She stopped at a door and Donna, whose brain was going into overdrive said nothing as Rose opened it and ushered her in.

He lay peacefully in a single bed in a semi-darkened room. There were no machines attached to him, no horrible blipping noises. He looked like he was asleep. On the bedside table beside him sat a piece of pinky yellow rock that seemed to glow and a vague humming could be detected from it.

“This is the Doctor.”

“What's wrong with him?”

“He's in a self-induced coma... he was struggling to survive in this atmosphere and decided that to put himself in a kind of stasis was the only option. He's been like this for two months now. We've been frantically trying to find a solution for him.”

“I'm the solution?”

“I think so... remember the cabbage?”

“I'm a cabbage?”

“No, Donna you're not a cabbage but you do, by a stroke of fate, share his DNA. Only match in this whole universe.”

“And why now?”

“You took part in the company blood drive last week? We've been screening blood all over the world. Our theory now is that the Donna from that world touched a severed hand of his and stimulated the growth of another Doctor, you're the reason he's human, Donna.” 

“A severed hand? I didn't touch any such thing! Is that what his kind does, grows from old parts, like worms? Besides, how do you know this if he's unconscious?”

“He told me a little before he induced himself, but he didn't talk about you, I saw the hand before your exchange. He wasn't aware of our equipment so he may not have realised.”

“Your equipment?”

“We call it a DNA converter. It was salvaged from an alien wreckage and our best scientists worked on it for months. They discovered that it could help other species adapt to threatening environments.”

“I won't ask how... and you think if you use my DNA it might help him adapt to this atmosphere?”

“Look, I'm not from here, nor is my mother and we both adapted without consequence. It might be that the human part of him is able to and the... other part of him is the problem, but the machine is indicating that you're a match and we've had some really good successes with it so far.”

“You want me to donate?”

“When you opted to give blood, you also opted to help the sick, Donna. Please, you really are my only hope, I don't want to lose him, I only just got him back.” Rose's voice broke and Donna's disgust and fear dissolved as her sympathy and humanity kicked in.

“You love him?”

“I always have, whatever form he comes in... we've been apart for three years and then when I finally get him back, this happens, before he even knows how I feel about him.” A tear escaped from the corner of her eye and she furiously tried to blink it back.

“Will it hurt?”

“Will what hurt?”

“This DNA transference thingy? I mean, some things like this, medical things, like bone marrow or...”

“It won't hurt.”

“Not that I wouldn't have considered... just that I like to be informed.”

“You're willing?”

“I don't see that I have a choice, you need my DNA, so help yourself.”

“I want you to understand that if you hadn't of wanted to do this, it would be less likely to work. The research that's been done shows that taking samples from unwilling donors fails more often than not. The theory is that some kind of a defence mechanism comes into play and protects the genetics.” Donna stared at Rose for a long while and then burst out laughing. “What's so funny?”

“I was just trying to imagine a compliant cabbage, that's all. How does this transfer happen, then?”

“Well mostly it's through blood, but we have found that touch helps too...”

“Touch? Now hang on... I'm not doing anything funny... none of that malarkey!”

“Donna, I just meant holding his hand.” 

“And that's it?”

“It might need a few tries to get the balance right, but it's quite a simple process.”

“How long will it take?”

“If we start now, take some blood, the first batch could be ready by next week.” Rose was staring at the Doctor all the while and Donna was sending furtive glances backwards and forwards between the two.

“So, I can go home in between?”

“You aren't a prisoner here, but we would prefer it if you stayed for the interim. We want to clear your blood, check your nutrition.”

“Clear my blood?”

“Sorry, you drank a can of coke at break? We want to feed you and monitor what goes into your body...”

“You're going to detox me?”

“Think of it as a luxury spa, we have a lovely room and plenty to do and see here. I said you'd be well compensated.” Rose sat down at the bedside and pulled out a cheque book and a pen from her inside jacket pocket, “it's an old fashioned way of paying but an excellent way of keeping track, I can also transfer it into your account if that's easier... here...” She ripped out the check she had been writing and handed it over.

Donna stared at the cheque, blinking. “You can't, I mean, that's more than... what should I tell my family?”

“Well,that's another reason for keeping you here, this is all strictly confidential, if it got out about the Doctor it could cause chaos amongst both the human and the alien communities... I would suggest that you tell them you've won some money and a holiday, to be taken immediately. You're signed to the official secrets act working for HC Clements although I do see a promotion coming up for you. Torchwood head office are recruiting and you're exactly what we're looking for.”

“Stop, you don't need to buy me, I'd of been happy with the spa break!”

“I want you on board, Donna, I'm in need of a PA I can trust.”

“A PA?”

“Yup, that's if you can get over your aversions to aliens and all things alien.”

“I don't have an aversion, I just didn't really believe...”

“And now?”

Donna glanced at the cheque again, “think I could be persuaded...”

“Then you'll do it?” Donna nodded and Rose jumped up, suddenly hugging her, surprising her and taking the wind out of her. “Thank you so much, you don't know how much this means to me...” Rose pulled back, her eyes shining with tears.

“I think I'm beginning to...”

“There's one other thing...”

“Here's the catch...”

“No, no catch... it's just that if this works and the Doctor pulls through, he must never know about this arrangement, he's very strict about not meddling with fixed points in time and this might be such an occasion... I'll explain more as we get to know each other, but do you think you can do that?”

“Yeah, but if I'm coming to work for you, surely he'll recognise me?”

“Indeed he will, but we can just chalk it down to coincidence, it seems to go hand in hand with the sort of life we lead.”

“Fine, I won't tell him we share DNA if the question ever arises... hang on though, surely Mum and Grandad would match?”

“They have your DNA, but it's only half as far as your mother's concerned and a quarter for your grandad. We needed pure Donna Noble. Any questions?”

“Lots, but I doubt I'll get any answers right now.”

“I'll show you to your suite, Donna Noble.”

“Lead the way, Rose Tyler.” The two women smiled at each other, a kindling of something neither could quite decipher just yet. And with the large cheque still clutched in her hand, this universes Donna Noble followed Rose Tyler.

Her life would never be the same again...


	2. Chapter 2

It was something to get used to, this pampering, this Torchwood way of life; Donna decided and not for the first time.

Rose had really kept up the pretence of it being a spa, had ordered in a jacuzzi, a masseuse and manicurist so far, with more to come.

She was being fed really well and even though she felt that the yoga probably wasn't her thing, she seemed to be finding her 'inner peace'. With gusto.

Her mum had been so suspicious, and it wasn't until she had asked Rose to transfer the money into her bank did she believe her. She immediately transferred a large amount over to the household account and said she'd see her in a couple of weeks. When she hung up she turned her phone off, she didn't like telling fibs, but she also knew her mother would ask relentless questions which she would find increasingly difficult to answer.

So now she was just enjoying the luxury of it all, with the blood tests daily in between.

Rose had visited her often and Donna could feel herself liking her even more. Could she dare to believe that they might become friends?

It was day four, rather night four; of her stay here and she was unperplexed by how quiet the whole place went at night. She felt safe here, all locked up even though she knew that this man they called 'The Doctor' was only over the corridor. He was unconscious and anyway, he looked harmless. It was very clear how much Rose cared for him.

Donna liked to wander when the corridors were half dark and empty, she felt a little naughty, like she was creeping about where she shouldn't. But this night a noise alerted her that she wasn't entirely alone. It came from this Doctor's room. She hesitated in the corridor, not sure what she should do. 

There would be a nurse along at some point to check on him, but she couldn't just leave the sick man, could she?

She peered through the doorway, all was still and quiet, perhaps she had imagined it? But, as she turned away, there it was again, a slight groan. 

With a deep breath she softly walked up to the bedside and peered at the slightly freckled and rather pale face. His eyes opened suddenly, making her jump back.

“Donna?” he rasped and she wasn't sure what to do, but he looked so scared and confused that she knew she couldn't just leave him. In a round-a-bout way wasn't he her sort of half brother or something?

“It's okay... you're fine, you're going to be fine..” she said re approaching the bed.

“I thought I heard... was she here?”

“Hush now, you need to rest...” Her hand went involuntarily to him and her reached out and grabbed it, both of them gasping at the contact. Donna sat down suddenly in the chair that Rose usually occupied. Where was she now when she was needed?

The connection between them was more than just a touch of hands, there were feelings, pullings and shocks and there were lights, yellow and ethereal and Donna felt as if she were being drained, like the energy was being sapped out of her.

“Stop it...” she gasped and as quickly as he had grabbed her, he let go. Donna felt an acute sense of loss at the sudden lack of contact. She felt empty, but the man beside her was peaceful, sleeping.

She scurried back to her room before anyone caught her and lay there thinking how terrible and how wonderful the experience had been.

The next morning Rose was brighter, she had gone home for a few hours to recharge and when she had returned it seemed that the Doctor had turned a corner.

“Think we might start with the DNA transfusion today if your bloods come back clear... that okay?”

“S'wot I'm here for innit?” Donna pulled her self up gruffly, shaking off the weirdness of the memory of the previous evening.

“No, it isn't all you're here for at all, not now... I know it feels like it, and I'll admit at some point, yeah, but now I've met you, now I know you, Donna...”

“But you said he wasn't to know, how can I be part of...” she stopped, not really sure of what she was saying.

“I didn't want him to know straight away. I don't know what the future holds, not for any of us... I just want to help him, but I feel like you and I, like we're friends already...”

“Is that because you knew the other me, though?”

“I hardly knew her, but what I did know of her was great, brilliant... and these past few days have been a real eye opener. I haven't made one friend since I came here, you know that? Not until Monday, anyway.”

“I want to help him too.” Donna said after a long silence where both woman looked emotional and slightly embarrassed at the same time.

“Course you do... anyone who meets him does...”

“But, I haven't met him...” she said softly, covering her tracks, not wanting the previous evening to be discovered in case it was a potential danger to this strange experiment.

“No... but you sense him though... I know you do...”

This is when Donna should have come clean, she should have told Rose about what had happened, but she was just too frightened to admit it, too frightened of how strong her feelings had been. She also wanted to protect that very special moment she had shared with this stranger. It could almost have been described as clandestine, illicit, furtive, but she had no attraction to the man, not in that way anyway.

“I want to for your sake...” she muttered and quickly changed the subject steering Rose towards sharing a healthy breakfast with her. 

The DNA transfusion was a bit of anti-climax, Donna gave yet another blood sample which was sent off to the lab for analysis. It came back clear, clean and she was dubbed ready ready to start the first procedure.

“We have to transfuse your blood directly into him so the DNA doesn't have a chance to break down, it needs to be as pure as possible.”

“Does it have to be blood?”

“Purest form although it can be done by other methods... saliva? No, didn't think so...” She reacted to Donna's facial expression with a snort. “I tell you, Donna Noble, you're a tonic, no wonder he asked you to tag along... sorry... duel dimension-ism does get very confusing... no wonder he travelled with her!”

And so it began, they had worked out that they needed to carry out four transfusions over eight days, so Donna needed a great deal of entertaining and Rose undertook to spend time with her, even if it was just an evening watching television.

But every night Donna insisted she left, telling her that she would be no good to him in his recovery if she were a worn out wreck. Rose was reluctant to leave but put up little resistance. It was nice that someone had her welfare at heart for a change. Jackie and Pete were great, but sometimes overbearing, particularly Jackie.

This left Donna alone with the Doctor every night and although when her blood was entering his veins there was no apparent reaction, when she sat by him and took his hand, the experience was amazing. After each encounter she was exhausted and slept each night like a baby.

The Doctor got stronger and stronger. All his checks were coming back positively and Rose was delighted. The Doctor never became completely conscious all the time Donna was there and she had a heavy heart when the final day of the treatment arrived.

“What's up?” asked Rose now a happy, rested and more peaceful woman ready to waken this wonderful, strange man.

“I'm fine...” she answered quickly.

“God, you're even beginning to sound like him! If I didn't know any better I'd say that the DNA transfer was two ways but it's not possible, the blood only went in one way. Come on, what's wrong?”

“Just that, these two weeks have been the best... I don't want them to end...” Donna blurted it out quickly, alarmed by Rose's comments.

“Yeah, I've enjoyed getting to know you, our work here is done... but I'm not letting you get away that easily, Donna... when you start as my PA, you'll be spending virtually all of your time here anyway, you might have to take one of the Torchwood lodgings to be nearer.”

“Lodgings?”

“Yeah, we have a barracks of sorts, nice little apartments designed for the use of some of our more prestigious work force, comes as part of the package, you ready to leave home?”

“Yes... my family, they can...”

“Visit? Course they can, you're worrying about your grandad again?”

“Well... we have a special bond, don't want to abandon him...”

“We take pride in our family ethic at Torchwood, you know that?”

“You work with your dad, so I figured you might.”

“Go home, see your family, start Monday, I'll show you some of the apartments then and you can decide, no rush. Take the weekend to ruminate.”

And so Donna, with a weary heart returned to Chiswick. Her Mum was very dubious about the whole story and even more concerned that Donna might finally be flying the coop. But Wilf, her grandad, was overjoyed and proud that she had landed herself such a great position. He had always suspected that his granddaughter was destined for far greater things. 

Monday morning came by all too slowly for Donna, she had started packing her belongings up the evening she returned and was awake that morning as the cock crowed.

Best suit on, she walked through the revolving doors at Canary Wharf with a little trepidation and a great deal of eagerness. Rose was there to meet her with a hug.

“How was your weekend?” she asked, unaware of the various employees in the foyer staring at them and wondering who the woman with the bright red hair could possibly be.

“Meh... bit boring after my 'spa break', but more to the point... how was yours?”

“He's awake... it worked although he's insisting that something fishy is going on... he's still in the infirmary but up and about and investigating. Won't take him long, but I'm going to let him work it out... if he can.”

“Will he be very cross?”

“Possibly, messing around with what he calls 'gingerbread houses' isn't something he would promote, not that he hasn't interfered with a few...”

“Mmm?”

“Well Mum and Dad for starters...”

“I'll have to keep a low profile for a bit then?”

“Well... I would hope he won't come into the main work area, at least not for a while.” By now they were in the lift and seeing they were alone Donna found the courage to ask.

“And was it as you hoped?”

“Was what?”

“With him... was it..?”

“He loves me, it was more than I could have wished for, we have our whole lives ahead of us and we're going to go down this slow path together...”

“Are you quoting him, cos that don't sound at all like you?”

“Yes... oh, but Donna it was so romantic... we both cried, he said he thought I was a dream... that he had woken at points and called out for me and I wasn't there...”

“I never heard him... so you been sleeping over then?” Donna breezed over Rose's train of words, frightened she might be discovered.

“I haven't left his side until now, but there wasn't anything like that, he's been seriously ill, Donna!”

“Still a bloke though, ain't he?” Donna winked and the lift doors opened to reveal a very cheeky looking red head and a very pink looking blonde.

She settled in easily, chatting with the office staff, she was very much at home, but more than that, it made her feel so important. They looked up to her as Ms Tyler's Personal Assistant, but also as Rose's friend. It was obvious how well the two got on, laughing and joking in Rose's office, which was not at all what they were used to. Rose had always been kind, friendly and considerate. But she had never been happy.

Rose hadn't gone on any field duties since Operation Darkness, spending most of her time in the infirmary.

Things had greatly altered in the past couple of weeks and although she still visited the top floor frequently, things were beginning to get busy on the third floor. Reports for Operation Darkness were finally being submitted and they were all beginning to find out what actually happened.

Donna had her own office with a magnificent view over the city but she was rarely in it, it was just by fluke that on her fourth afternoon in her new position she happened to be in there. There was a bit of a commotion outside and then a lull.

“Hello, I'm the Doctor...” Came the voice, booming across Floor Three happily.

“Doctor!” Rose's voice, a little breathless like she had been running after him and just caught up. “I asked you specifically to wait for your tour!” Donna remained ducked down at her desk where she hadn't realised she had gone on hearing his voice.

She listened as Rose guided him to her office (right beside Donna's) and shut the door. Donna relaxed a little but could hear every word next door.

“See, Rose Tyler, there could be a number of reasons for all this secrecy and with my brilliant brain I've had a great deal of time to ponder on what you're hiding... it could just be that you're not ready to share this set up with me, but I don't think so, I mean it's Torchwood, parallel dimension or no... we're not stopping here, are we?”

“Doctor...”

“It could be that you just wanted to get me alone in your office, which is a rather fantastic idea, don't look at me like that, I'm one hundred per cent fit, albeit part human now, but that, in this case, only emphasises the need for you... sorry, bit forward, still adjusting to this testosterone... somehow, I don't think it's that. Not here. Shame, would be quite a picture seeing you spread out on your desk, your hair fanning out... oh, that was rude... really rude! No, why you're being so secretive about here is neither of those things. You're hiding something from me, Rose Tyler and I can only assume it has to do with my recovery...”

“The machine...”

“That machine is a piece of voodoo witchcraft and would never have worked on me no matter what you used, even if you managed to get hold of Time Lord blood it wouldn't have worked! I could never have repaired alone and if I had my TARDIS, I could work it out in an instant. What are you hiding, Rose Tyler?”

And just as Donna was about to burst through the adjoining door and confess, the conversation stopped and Donna was aware that they must be embracing. After a long beat there were two gasps of air.

“Why the tears, Rose Tyler?” the Doctor said softly, so Donna had to put her ear right to the door to hear.

“You're still you...” Came the choked reply.


	3. Chapter 3

Later on that day, Rose sought out Donna who had spent the best part of the afternoon in her office 'typing up reports'.

“He's gone back to the infirmary, but I'm taking him home tonight. Look, I'm sorry about all this cloak and dagger stuff, but I don't want him to have any set backs... I will tell him, in time... just let him get settled in, yeah?”

“You're the boss... you're taking him home? To your place?”

“Donna...”

“Well, don't excite him too much, will you?”

“You're angry?”

“It's none of my business, but, truthfully, I'm not happy having to hide away...” This wasn't all together true. The fact of the matter was that Donna was experiencing all kinds of jealousy. She was jealous that she had had to share Rose in the work place with him, jealous that she wasn't going to exchange whatever she had been exchanging with this man ever again, jealous that they got to share each other without a thought or knowledge for or about her. “I like to mingle with everyone, been shut away in here is like I'm in a prison or something...”

“I'm not going to let him back here for a while... want him to get his full strength back, then I'll use clearance as an excuse to keep him away. That should buy some time.”

“You won't be in?”

“I'm not needed, all the reports have been logged now, they just need typing up. There will be a board meeting to review it at the end of the month and unless some new problem or mission crops up...”

“You'll be at home having your brains shagged out?”

“Donna!” Rose went bright pink and Donna giggled.

“Sorry, couldn't resist... don't be a total stranger though, will you?” Rose moved forward and hugged her.

“I can't thank you enough for all you've done for me, one day he'll thank you too, I'll text you, yeah?”

“Yeah...” To Donna, it felt like a rather final 'goodbye' and as she packed up her bag ready to go back to her new flat she had a horrible sinking feeling right in the pit of her stomach.

She sat down at her desk and listened to the office outside emptying. It was Friday, the weekend stretched out lonely in front of her. At least when she was temping she could expect a drink with the girls on a Friday night. She pulled out her phone and scrolled down to home. Her Mum was going to love this.

A knock at the door made her jump and drop the phone before she could tap 'call'.

“Hello?” She answered gingerly and, to her relief, it was one of the ops team, Jack or Jake or something like that.

“Donna? Look we're all headed off down The Merchant, wondered if you wanted to join us? First week and all that, doesn't seem fair to stick you in digs and not ask?”

“Oh, yes... that would be great... I'll just sort myself out and join you... thanks...”

“No problem... we'll wait downstairs for you.”

Donna scrabbled about in her bag, smiling. Close call, that was, her mother would have to get along doing the roast potatoes by herself on Sunday. She was going to try and make a social life around her job even with all the awkward secrets! 

She touched up her make-up and let loose her fabulous locks. Another button undone and a quick spray of the perfume her Mum had got her for Christmas ( 'Alien'... she smirked, there was no irony lost on her at all) and she was ready.

As she opened the door to leave, she pulled back quickly. He was there! He was across the room and had his back to her. He was leant at a desk, dotting through a computer at as an impressive speed as she liked to boast for herself. He had a funny cylindrical gadget in his hand and seemed to be taking information from the screen, a blue light and strange buzzing noises emanated from it. He suddenly stood up tall, wrapping his hands around the back of his neck. _'By Christ, he's a thin one and no mistake,'_ she thought. Then she dodged back a bit further as he turned to the side and smiled, his face lighting up. Rose walked up to him slowly.

“What you up to?”

“Oh, you know, want to know what they're all saying...”

“Snooping? Told ya, you're gonna need clearance and not until you're completely fit.”

“Oh, I'm completely fit, Rose Tyler... raring to go as it happens...”

“Doctor! This Human part of you is a bit...”

“It is, isn't it? I think you like it, don't you?” He pulled her right into him and she started fiddling with the blue lapels of his jacket.

“Let's go home, Doctor...” she breathed the words on a haggard sigh.

“Friday night and you want to go home?” He was teasing her.

“Nowhere else I'd rather be.” He looked very pleased with that answer and rewarded her with a rather drawn out kiss, during which Rose caught sight of Donna over his shoulder. Her eyes rounded and Donna winked. “Come on, let's go!” Rose broke the kiss and dragged him laughing to the lift.

Donna gave it five more minutes and then called the lift back up.

It was a fun night, she seemed to fit in well and although she expected to be questioned a great deal about what had been going on in the infirmary, nobody asked her at all. They were so used to odd happenings that they had learnt it was best not to ask and if they were ever going to find out, eventually, they would.

Three others of the company of eight had digs in Donna's building and it was a happy drunken group that sang their way home. 

With a promise to have tea together the next morning, Donna shut her door and smiled to herself. All right she had been given the old heave ho by her bestie, but they were a good bunch of people and she seemed to fit in quite well.

She undressed messily and got into the cool double bed. She picked up her phone only to find a couple of messages from Rose.

_'That was a close one, nearly blew it! He's still asking questions... think I might have to come clean sooner !'_

_' In the bathroom... am feeling a little nervous... well, a lot nervous... it's been so long, what if I'm not what he needs now? What if I've forgotten how?' _

_'Are you not speaking to me? Look I'm sorry... don't bail on me now, I need your advice, I'm practically hiding from him in this bathroom!'_

These had come a while ago and Donna assumed Rose had just got on with it, but she still messaged back.

_'Sorry, went to the pub with the guys! Am speaking to you, you numpty. I 'spect you've overcome your fears by now. Speak soon x'_ With a smile, she put her phone on the side and was asleep in moments.

**********

There was little communication between the two of them over the next few days. Just a couple of I'm alive and kicking type exchanges.

Donna had a great weekend getting to know her neighbours and work colleagues. Tea in the late morning followed by brunch, then another drunken night out and then Sunday lunch at the pub. She even ended up at someone else's flat watching a horror film on Sunday evening that had them all in stitches. They shared a few of their choicest and less secret missions with her and all of it sounded very exciting and Donna wondered, not for the first time that weekend, what criteria she would need to join the team.

Monday morning came and Rose was, as she expected, a no show, so it fell upon Donna to be responsible for running the office and she embraced this with aplomb basing herself in Rose's office.

It was late morning when the phone rang and Donna absent-mindedly picked it up.

“Rose Tyler's office, how may I help?” She used her poshest accent, her telephone voice, but there was still a pause at the other end of the phone. “Hello?”

“Who is this?” The voice was deep and had Donna's flesh prickling immediately.

“Rose Tyler's PA, who am I speaking to?” She upped the posh accent a little bit, hoping he wouldn't recognise her voice. The other Donna Noble's voice.

“The Doctor... and you are?”

“I'm not authorised to give you that information, Sir, not until you have clearance. Were you after Ms Tyler?”

“My name should be clearance enough... Ms Tyler is here. I was hoping I could request my files from the Med Bay?”

“Certainly, Sir, if you'll just let me speak to Ms Tyler, she can speak to the Infirmary on your behalf.”

“Ms Tyler, is sleeping! They're my records... who are you?”

“Like I said, Sir, I cannot divulge that information until you have....”

“Clearance... yes I heard you, it all sounds a bit red tape to me!” He interrupted gruffly.

“If you get Ms Tyler to call back when she wakes, I'm sure we can accommodate you.” There was another, rather gruff comment and then he put the phone down. Immediately, Donna reached inside her bag for her phone.

_'OMG, he just rang here! How is that keeping him busy? You're asleep and he's digging about! I don't know how long I can do this for!'_

Donna didn't expect a reply, she placed her phone down on the desk and continued typing up the timetable she had been working on all morning. So, when her phone pinged it made her jump.

_'Who is this? You're on her phone as 'D', but if it was YOU in communication with her, why would she need me? And who is that woman? She sounds very familiar. Don't think I haven't ruled out coming down there!'_

Donna wasn't sure what to do, she was filled with dread, paranoia and even a little outrage that this man had snooped into Rose's phone. Clearly, he thought someone else was texting her.

She moved into her office next door and locked it, relieved that the doors had this facility.

The next couple of hours were spent in a nervous frenzy of checking her phone and unlocking the door to various employees who needed to ask her something, so when her text finally pinged again she jumped out of her skin.

_'I just woke up! He's not here... I'm on my way in... think he might have used some kind of Time Lord trick on me to make me sleep!'_

_'That's what they're calling it nowadays, is it? I'm terrified here, hurry up, I'm hiding in my office!'_ She sent the text and breathed out a sigh of relief. At least Rose was on her way in. She could explain it all.

Right at that moment there was a knock at the door, followed by a loud buzzing.

“Deadlocked? Who deadlocks an office door? Let me in!” The deep male voice, filled with tones of anger sent a chill down Donna's spine.


	4. Chapter 4

The Doctor continued to rattle at the door and Donna stood frozen to the spot terrified at how he might react at seeing her.

Finally, a flash of temper reared itself within her. What had she done that was so very wrong that she should be hiding and scared?

She opened the door abruptly only to be faced by a large expense of blue pin striped back.

The Doctor turned and took in the ginger locks first. His eyes widened and he gasped.

“Shut your mouth... not as if you don't know who I am!” Donna scolded and the Doctor snapped his mouth shut.

“Donna?”

“That's me, Donna Noble, pleased to meet you, Doctor.” She stuck out a hand but he just stared at it as if it were green and slimy.

“What are you... I mean, how... Donna?”

“For Gawd's sake, I already said I was! I work here, I'm your... I'm Rose Tyler's PA. For some reason, she wanted to keep us apart, must be very insecure or something... still she has no worries on that score... I mean, no offence but you're a bit thin, aren't you?”

The Doctor walked into the office and sat down abruptly, the shock of coming face to face with her almost too much for him.

“You're... not you?” he asked weakly.

“I beg your pardon, but last time I looked, I was very much me. That doesn't even make sense!”

It was at this moment that across the open doorway, Rose emerged from the opening lift, her face a picture of blind panic.

“Doctor!” She called out and broke into an anxious run. “I can explain!” she puffed as she got to the doorway.

“Looks like he's seen a ghost!” said Donna, hands on hips, mild amusement quite evident.

Rose came into the room, clearly aware that the Doctor was fast working out exactly what was going on.

“I was desperate, you were dying... and we have this machine, helped a few... people out.”

“People?”

“Different kinds of _people_... you know?”

“Show me.” The Doctor stood abruptly and turned to Donna, “you'd better come too.”

“Is that an order, cos I was gonna get my hair done...?” Donna said defiantly.

“I think you need to be there, you can't say you have nothing to do with this.” The Doctor looked at her as if he could see into the depths of her soul. She was fascinated and frightened at the same time.

“Only did what I was asked to do...” she said to his retreating back. Rose passed her and squeezed her arm apologetically.

Half an hour later the Doctor, having examined the equipment that Rose claimed to have used to cure him, was shaking his head.

“No way would that have worked on me... blood... I ask you!”

“Genetic transfer, Doctor, that's what you said happened to create you and the Doctor Donna!”

“Yes, but it wasn't blood that was used when our biological meta-crisis were created!” Donna said nothing, they may as well have been talking a different language from what she understood. She was harbouring a guilty feeling, knowing more than she was brave enough to let on.

“If blood isn't a satisfactory transfusion, then what is? Did you get better on your own?”

“No.... I didn't... and that's what I couldn't work out...” He had been up and pacing the room, but came to a halt right in front of Donna's chair, “until I saw you...”

“Me?” Donna said indignantly.

“Was there any time when we might have been alone together?”

“I don't know what you're implying, but it sounds disgusting!” Donna was immediately on the defensive.

It was then that the Doctor reached down and took her hand. There was a sensation, nothing quite like the experience of the week before, a few glowing lights and a dull tingling, but it was enough for the Doctor. He raised his left brow as he let go.

“Look, you were groaning and I didn't want to see you in any pain. I only went in to see if you needed anything. _You_ grabbed _my_ hand. I didn't have any choice in the matter!”

“Donna?” This was Rose, all wide eyed and shocked.

“It's disgusting... you sneaking into my room while I was unconscious and... doing...” He was rendered speechless and continued by mimicking a gesture between them that might have been translated as something entirely different.

“Now, listen, Mister... skinny boy! I was asked to come here and give you some of my blood.... I was told that it was the only way to save your life! If you're all alone and calling out one night, course I'm gonna see if you're all right! Weren't my fault you grabbed my hand and all that stuff happened! But it was just your hand I held!”

“More than the once though, Donna, I can detect four further times that you imbibed your synaptic transmission on me!”  
“I can assure I did no such thing you've got your mind in the gutter!”

“You two, please stop!” Rose had sat down heavily, she was looking a bit pale.

“Rose?” The Doctor was at her side in a beat.

“I'm sorry I involved her without your permission... I thought it was the only way, and I truly believed it had worked, I knew nothing about what was going on, really I didn't!”

“I know... I would never have encouraged you to seek out this dimension's Donna Noble, I would never have thought of it being a possibility, in fact.”

“It? I'm not an it, skinny boy! I'm a she and I'm my own person, not a version of someone else!”

“So, why didn't you tell Rose what was going on?”

“I... I don't know... it was such a weird feeling... all glowy and sort of lifting at the time. It drained the energy out of me though, I slept like a log after. It made me feel like you really needed me, like Rose really needed me. It was sort of addictive and I didn't know how to explain it to her without it sounding... well, sounding pervy...”

“So you held my hand?”

“Yes, well, you held mine... you called me Donna the first time, asked for Rose.”

“Which hand?”

“Does it matter? I came into the room and you were facing towards the door, but the machine was to your left side, so I went around to the other side, the right side. I was worried because you were groaning, sounded as if you were in pain.”

“The right hand is my original hand, it's the most linked to the Time Lord I once was.” He was talking to Rose and Donna just looked on wide-eyed, not sure what he meant.

“And it's the hand you grew from?” Rose asked softly

“Exactly, has to be the most perceptive part of me!”

“Oh, I beg to differ on that score, Doctor...” Rose grinned and her tongue tipped the corner of her mouth. The Doctor smirked, letting out a little noise of content right from the pit of his throat.

“Will you two just get a room! We're having a serious conversation here, most of which I'm clueless about, someone was getting told off, I think, and there you two go and start flirting!”

Rose blushed and looked down at her hands in her lap.

“God, you're so Donna!” The Doctor smiled, finally relaxing into all the information he had taken on board.

“I should hope so and all!” Donna lobbed back at him. 

Rose started to laugh, partly at the pair of them and how like siblings they seemed to be and partly with relief that she was no longer keeping anything from her beloved soulmate.

“So, now you know all about me, I take it I can get on with my job and stop skulking about and hiding?” Donna piped up, hoping upon hope that she was going to be allowed some kind of entry into this pair's life. He was an annoying streak of skinniness, but she felt a pull to him she didn't quite understand. And Rose was fast becoming a close friend, those were hard to come by as you got older, she found.

“But you skulk and hide so beautifully, Donna!” The Doctor grinned, she supposed he thought it was charming but it just made her want to slap him one.

“Don't tease her, Doctor!” Rose admonished.

“No, after everything we've been through, I don't think we could go back to formalities, Donna Noble, do you?”

“Honestly, I don't know why you keep on using my name like that!”

“Oh, he does that a lot!” smirked Rose.

“Never thought I would be able to use either of your names again... they're quite important to me as it happens.”

Both women looked sheepishly at each other.

“I'm sorry, Doctor, I'm just so happy to have you back that I forget all that pain.” Rose spoke softly, guiltily.

“You know what Rose Tyler? The way you have accepted me so easily has taught me a lesson.”

“Oh?”

“The whole Gingerbread House phenomena that I harped on about?”

“Yeah?”

“You could have put me into that whole ilk... instead you just saw me for me. How could I not now see her for who she is?”

“Less of the 'she' thank you very much!”

“I do apologise, I'll just say 'oi, you!' from now on shall I?”

“Don't get smart with me, Space Boy!”

“Well, there's the thing, _Earth Girl_, I think you'll find that I'm very smart, very smart indeed!”

“Come on you two... let's continue this down The Merchant, think we could all use a drink before home, don't you?”

And as Rose Tyler ushered Donna Noble and the Doctor out of the infirmary across the office and down in the lift they continued to banter away, both clearly enjoying themselves. Rose rolled her eyeballs indulgently as she followed them at a distance. Nothing, not even the assembled hordes of Ghengis Khan, could have wiped away the huge smile she was now going to be constantly wearing.


End file.
